Spraying device



14, 1951 w. c. BURRUCKER 64,392

SPRAYING DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1946 INVENTOR w.c BURRUCKER BY '%L\M ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14,1951

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E 2,564,392 v I r SPRAYING DEVICE William C. Burrucker, Chicago, 'Ill., assignor' to Interchem'ical Corporation, New York,'"N. 'Y., a

corporation of Ohio This invention relates to a spraying device adapted for applying coating compositions to surfaces. It particularly relates to a spraying device for applying multitoned finish coatings to surfaces.

I Multitoned decorative coatings have been produced by applying two or more different colors of coating composition, such as paints, lacquers, and varnishes, to the surface to be decorated. The operation by which such multitoned surfaces have in general been produced consists of spraying the various colors of coating composition from two or more spray guns, 1. e. each color of composition from a different spray gun, the spraying operation with the various spray guns being conducted simultaneously or alternately. Such processes have certain disadvantages. For instance, if each color of paint, or other coating composition, is sprayed from a different spray gun, this necessitates a greater investment in spray equipment and labor than would be required if the multitoned decorative surface could be produced by a one-step spraying process with a single spray gun for all the colors of coatin composition to be applied.

It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a spraying device for spray able coating compositions which may be operated by one person and yet produce a multitoned decorative effect upon the surface to be coated. Another object is to provide a spray device for applying 'sprayable coating compositions which permits a plurality of colors of spray composition to be sprayed alternately and continuously from the'same spray gun.

The principles which are used in the construction of the spraying device of the present invention are adaptable to all types of conventional spray guns for applying sprayable coating compositions. In general conventional types of spray guns have as common features, (1) a spray orifice nilhe head of the gunfor issuance of spray composition from the gun, (2) a spray chamber ad- J'acen-t'to the spray orifice and (3) a spray supply feed line communicating with the spray chamber'and with a source of coating composition. These three simple elements may appear in various forms depending upon the construction of chamber is generally much greater than that of.

the spray orifice in the head of the gun. Such construction is not particularly objectionable for spraying a single coating composition, but. such construction is not satisfactory where it is desired to produce a multitoned effect upon the surface to be coated y alternately feeding a plurality of colors of coating composition into the spray gun. Due to the relatively large space Within the spray chamber as compared, to the cross-sectional areas of the spray Orifice and spray feed line, the turbulent action of the .coate ing compositions entering the spray chamber from the feed line results in mixing of the various colors of spray composition within the spray chamber. Thus a multitoned finish coating will not be produced when the mixed colors of coating composition are forced from the spray gun onto the surface to be coated.

I have discovered that the above mentioned difficulties encountered with the conventional type of spray gun can be overcome by constructing the spray gun in such a manner that the spray chamber and feed line have a cross-sectional area equal to or larger than that of the, spray orifice, but not more than about 6.25 times that of the spray orifice. Use of a spray gun constructed in this way does not allow turbulence'of the various colors of coating composition as they flow alternately from the feed line into the spray chamber, hence a very pronounced .multitoned effect may be produced on the surface to be.

coated.

.The various novel features of the present invention will be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the manner in which. the invention may be adapted to an external mix type of spray gun. In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spraying device showing the manner in which a spray gun embodying the novel features of the invention is supplied by three different coating compositions.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a spray gun embodying the novel features of the invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a valve arrangement for reducing three tributary feed lines to a single line, and also reducing the cross sectional area,

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a valve arrangement for alternately feeding three different colors of spray composition into a main feed line, and

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views through the lines AA, BB and C0 of Figure 4, respectively.

8,;is a. composite of Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the completely assembled device as shown in Figure 1 comprises a spray gun l having suitable connections at II and I2 with spray composition main feed line l3 and air pressure line [4, respectively. Main feed line l3 communicates with a valve arrangement Is that is so constructed as to allow coating composition from any of tributary feed lines H to H! to flow under pressure into main feed line l3 but prevents the back flow of coating composition from the main feed line into the tributary lines.

Tributary feed lines I? ,to 19 communicate with a valve arrangement which operates to supply coating composition alternately to the three tributary feed lines in such a manner that a continuous flow of spray composition is maintained in main feed line l3. Feed lines 22 to 24 feed coating composition of different colors into valve arrangement 2 I and the various colors con; tinue on the 'spray gun side of the valvethroiigh the tributary lines I'I'to l3." Spray conta'iriersi'ifi to 28 are conventional pressure tanks for supplying coating composition to a'sp'rayin'g device or may be one large container with a separate compartment for each color. I These containers or compartments contain diiierent colors of coating composition, which colors of course govern the 4 obvious that the same principles could be adapted to other types of conventional spray guns, such as, for instance, the non-bleeder internal mix gun or the bleeder type external mix gun.

In the valve arrangement shown in Figure 3, l3 represents the main feed line to a spray gun, and I! to I9 represent tributary feed lines. In the preferred embodiment of the invention this valve arrangement is located as near the spray chamber as is possible. This of course is obvious since it decreases the amount of mixing of the colorsin the main feed line [3.

During the operation of the spraying device coating composition of different colors flows under the tributary feed lines I! to l9' andthen follow through the main feed linein the same order and eventually from the "nozzle 6: the spray gun to give a multitoned decorative finish consisting of red; white and blue areas. I n I It is obvious from the above "simple description of the invention that it is readily adaptable to the production of multitoned decorative finishes having a plurality of different 'colorsi The nuin ber of different colors which 'ma tenipioyea novel features of my inventionfi3 represents the main Ifeed line for coating composition and has an inside diameter of about twice the diameter of the spray orifice 29 in the 'h'eadoi the spray gun. Likewise, 3| represents a" spray chamber having a diameterabout twice'that of thespr'ay orifice. Both the main feed line"dia'mete'r' and the spray chamber diam'etenmiist berionrabcut equal to not more than about 2.5 times thedia"rr i-' eter of the spray orifice; Thisof"cours'e}"cor responds to a maximum cros's'sectional' area of about 6.25'times thecross sectionaliarea or the spray orifice. Needle 321s controlled by trigger '33 and spring to open and close the spray'erifice 29. Air'under pressure enters the spray gun handle'at l2 through airline MI The movement of stem 36 is'controlledby spring 31 and'prigger 33 to'form an air valvea't'38. Air; after passing valve 38, travels through main air lin 39, thenthrough branch air lines A land 52, "which further branch out into airlines 4:310:46. Airlines 13' to 46 terminate in air vents .41 to 50 in the head of the spray gun.

In this illustrated -embodiment'theprinciples of the presentinvention' are. adapted'to a"non' bleederexternal mix type of spray gun' butit'is pressure alternately from tributary feed lines I! to [9 in the direction of arrows 5| into the main feed line 13. Ball Valves 52 prevent the backflow of coating composition into the tributary feed lines when coating composition is not flowing from a tributary line to the main feed line. At any one time coatingcomposition is flowing from only one of the tributary feedlines. i

Tributary feed lines IT to I9 communicate with a second valve 2! of Figure '1. Details of the construction of this valve are shown in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive. The valve consists of a cylinder 53 having three passages GI to -83 -at"diffe rent angles through its center approximately p'erpehdicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. The holes 6| to 63 are so spaced along the'cylinder that they are in alignment with three sets of connections 54 and 84, 55 and 65, and 56 and 66 in jacket 59 which encloses the cylinder. The holes in the cylinder are of any convenient diameter, but preferably not more than about onefourth the diameter of the cylinder." The holes are at about 60 angles to each other around the cylinder and are countersunk at theirexits in such manner that as the cylinder is rotated through a complete "revolution the holes "in the cylinder alternately communicate with the con nections in the acket which 'are' aligned with manner as to ive a continuous'feed of "coating.

composition consisting of three alternating colors."

For example, when red spray composition is'fed through line 22, white througlr'line23 and'blue through line 24 these same spray'compositiohs issue alternately through connections" 54 00 55 into tributary feed line I! to 'I'QI'When'thiS" type of feed'is reduced to a single main feed line as illustrated in Figure 3 there is produced a continuous flow of an alternating series of redf white and blue coating composition in the main-feed line.

Cylinder 53 and jacket 59 are mounted on suitable supports 67. The jacket is rigidly attached to the supports while the cylinder is' rotatablymounted and may be rotated by means of pulley 58 attached to shaft 51. through packing at 66 and is attached. 'td the cylinder or may be a continuation of thecyli'n' der. In effect, the packing-60 and jacketed serve as a bearing in which'the cylinder is'freeto rotate, but both the jacket'andthepacking fit closely enough-to prevent leakage of spray 'c'orn position. Any suitable source ofpdwe'r maybe ,Shaft 51: extendsused to turn the cylinder, preferably a small electric or air motor which is geared down to rotate the cylinder at from about 5 to 50 revolutions per minute is used. Although various speeds of rotation of the cylinder may be used I prefer to use the speeds of about 5 to 50 revolutions per minute.

It is important to note that in a spraying device embodying the novel features of my invention that the tributary feed lines feeding into the main feed line may be of any cross sectional area desired. However, both the spray chamber and the main feed line communicating with it must have cross sectional areas of not more than about five times that of the spray orifice of the spray gun.

As many modifications and variations may be made in the details of the invention I do not intend to limit the scope of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spray device for sprayable coating compositions capable of producing multitoned effects comprising in combination: a spray head having an orifice, a coating composition supply chamber adjacent to said orifice, said chamber having a cross-sectional area from one to about 6.25 times the area of the orifice, a main feed line connected to the chamber said feed line having a cross-sectional area from one to about 6.25 times the area of said orifice, a plurality of tributary feed lines communicating with the main feed line through a common connection, each of said tributary feed lines containing a valve adjacent the common connection which permits fluid to flow only in the direction of the main feed line and each of said tributary feed lines communicating with a multiple valve comprising a rotatable cylinder enclosed in a jacket, the cylinder having a plurality of countersunk ibores therethrough equal in number to the number of tributary feed lines, each of said bores being in alignment with a corresponding set of outlet and inlet holes in the jacket, and wherein the sum of the arcs subtended on the circumference of said cylinder by the diameters of the counter sinks of said countersunk bores is equal to the circumference of said cylinder so as, to provide a single color passage through the cylinder and jacket at all positions of the cylinder as the cylinder is rotated, each of the outlet holes in said jacket communicating with one tributary feed line and each of said inlet holes communicating with an individual source of coating composition under pressure, means for rotating said cylinder, a dispersing fluid supply for supplying fluid for atomizing and scattering the coating composition at the spray head and means for 6 cutting ofi the flow of coating composition and dispersing fluid.

2. A spray device for sprayable coating compositions capable of producing multitoned effects comprising in combination: a spray head having an orifice, a coating composition supply chamber adjacent to said orifice, said chamber having a cross-sectional area from one to about 6.25 times the area of the orifice, a main feed line connected to the chamber said feed line having a cross-sectional area from one to about 6.25 times the area of said orifice, a plurality of tributary feed lines communicating with the main feed lines through a common connection, each of said tributary feed lines containing a valve adjacent the common connection which permits fluid to flow only in the direction of the main feed line and each of said tributary feed lines communicating with a multiple valve comprising a rotatable cylinder enclosed in a jacket, the cylinder having a plurality of countersunk bores therethrough equal in number to the number of tributary feed lines, said bores being in alignment with a plurality of sets of outlet and inlet holes in the jacket, and wherein the sum of the arcs subtended on the circumference of said cylinder by the diameter of the countersinks of said countersunk bores is equal to the circumference of said cylinder so as to provide a single color passage through the cylinder and jacket at all positions of the cylinder as it is rotated, each of the outlet holes in said jacket communicating with one tributary feed line and each of said inlet holes communicating with an individual coating composition pressure supply tank, means for rotating said cylinder, a dispersing fluid supply for supplying fluid for atomizing and scattering the coating composition 'at the spray head and means for cutting off the flow of coating composition and dispersing fluid.

WILLIAM C. BURRUCKER.

1 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 888,693 Bustinza May 26, 1908 912,106 Frazier Feb. 9, 1909 1,185,344 Philibert May 30, 1916 1,617,166 Schoop Feb. 8, 1927 1,686,003 Hottinger Oct. 2, 1928' 1,686,004 I-Iottinger Oct. 2, 1928 1,774,694 Bateman Sept. 2, 1930 1,863,782 Young June 21, 1932 2,200,675 Northcutt May 14, 1940 2,335,116 Hansen Nov. 23, 1943 2,356,865 Mason Au 29. 1944 

